This Time, I Won't Lose
by AsbestosFormaldehyde
Summary: Just Another Battle... for Trixie Carter. "That's not true!" Spud exclaimed, jumping to his feet, feeling the need to counter everything Jake said. "She'd never like me! I mean, I want her to so badly, but she would never... When she has you." :Complete:


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A/N: An American Dragon: Jake Long story for ya'll. It's early in the morning, I'm tired. It is time to shleep. I DO in fact, ship Jake/Trixie. Don't question me. Enjoy my story :)

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS.

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**This Time, I Won't Lose**

"HA! Totally owned, dude!" Jake Long shouted, throwing down the controller and jumping on the couch. He did a quick victory dance, while his best friend, Spud, dropped his controller and pouted.

"That totally wasn't fair, dude," Spud protested, reaching out to press the reset button on the game console. "That tractor came out of nowhere!"

"Now Spudinski," Jake teased, patting his friend's head, "Don't be gettin' all butthurt. You're paying for the pizza, fair and square." It was the deal they had made the day before with Spud, and their other best friend Trixie. They had invited Trixie, but she had a project to finish, so they made a plan to meet for pizza after video games at Spud's house.

Spud narrowed his eyes, his lower lip stuck out slightly. He waved his best friend's hand away, fixing his beanie. "Yeah yeah," he said, a grin forming on his lips, "Your paying for sodas though. That was the deal Trix set between us."

Jake smiled; he loved how Trixie always involved herself in their battles. "Yeah, I remember." He plopped down on the couch again, ruffling his black and green-dyed hair. "Speaking of Trix--"

As if on cue, the phone began ringing. Spud reached for it on the coffee table. "Yo, Spudinski residence, Arthur Spudinski speaking."

"Spud," Trixie's voice spoke from the other side, "Don't you have caller ID? It's so annoyin' how you gotta be greetin' people like that on the phone!"

Spud smiled, and said to Jake, "It's Trix." he put the phone on speaker, and said, "So, m'lady, are you coming over now?"

"On my way outta the house right now!" Trixie responded, "Who's payin' for the pizza today?"

"That would be Spud," Jake answered, smirking superiorly at his friend. "I totally owned homeboy today."

Trixie laughed, "That's my boy, Jakey. I'll be there in fifteen."

"See you then," Spud said, before hanging up the phone. He sighed, leaning against the couch. The boy was less than patient when it came to waiting for food. He groaned, "What are we gonna do for fifteen minutes?"

Jake crossed his legs, eyebrows raised, a hand to his mouth in thought. He looked from Spud, to the phone, and back to Spud. He asked carefully, "Hey, Spud... What do you think of Trixie?"

Spud looked flabberghasted at the question. He rose his eyebrows, looking at Jake as if he were mad, "What are you implying?" he asked suspiciously. Jake shrugged in response, indicating he just wanted to know. "She's my best friend, dude, I love her like... I love my yo-yo!" he stated excitedly, pulling out his red and yellow yo-yo from his pocket. He looked back at Jake, "Why... What do you think of her...?"

Jake shrugged once again, stretching out his legs on the sofa. "I guess... I don't know," he would be lying if he said he wasn't attracted to Trixie; hence the question he asked Spud. He needed to know if he was stepping on dangerous grounds by exploring his feelings.

It happened about a month ago; Jake had been simply reaching for the mustard for his hot dog at lunch one day. His hand had brushed against Trixie's by accident while she was reaching for it also, but Jake had felt something.... Something electric, magnetic, even. He spent that lunch examining his hand and looking at Trixie, wondering what that feeling was. Everytime he looked at Trixie, he also felt something in the pit of his stomach...

Homegirl did have it going on, Jake had to admit. He knew this from the day he met her. She was confidant, sexy, with big brown eyes... But then the idea of Spud came to his mind, how awkward it would be if he and Trixie were ever anything more than friends. Plus, he was still into Rose... Right? Well, she _was_ in Hong Kong... He was only able to talk to her through phonecalls most of the time... It was hard not to find himself attracted to other girls.

He put the idea away until that very week, where he found himself calling Trixie more than he should have. He didn't mean to; it just happened. He and Trixie had spent every night that month talking until 2 in the morning, which resulted in cranky days at school. But, Jake found the phone calls... Comforting.

Jake pondered how he should answer Spud's question, when he said, "Homegirl's got it going on, I guess..." his mouth curled into a smile, and he turned back to Spud. He was surprised to see a look of outrage on his face. "What?" Jake asked, creases of concern etched on his forehead.

"Well... Maybe, I do like her!" Spud countered, throwing his arms up, "What would you say then, hm?"

Jake stared at Spud as if he were mad. Sometimes, boy just didn't make sense. "You just said you loved her like a friend," he pointed out, frowning.

Spud averted his eyes, staring at the wall instead. "I do," he said, his voice distant. "But... I don't know, there's something about Trixie..."

"I know what you mean," Jake said right away. He sighed, thinking, "She's always so... I don't know how to explain it... I mean, I made a less-than-intelligent comment at lunch the other day, when she had all that food in front of her..."

Spud laughed, remembering it, "Oh yeah," he said, looking at Jake, "You told her that you're a dragon and you eat less than her..."

"Something any other girl would smack me across the face for," Jake grinned, rethinking the memory, "But Trix... She just smiled and laughed, and told me I had no right to comment her diet with my pudging gut."

Spud nodded, "She really is some kind of woman," he said, looking at his feet now with much interest. Yes, Spud was very much attracted to Trixie, but what girl in their right mind... Would go after a Spudinski?

"I like her a lot," Jake said suddenly, and Spud's head immediately snapped up. He looked at Jake, a big frown on his face. Jake was not meeting his gaze, but examining his hands. "She's nothing like the girls I'd go after, and I love that about her..."

"You can't," was all Spud could find in his mind to say. He didn't stop looking at Jake, who still didn't look back at him. "You can't like Trixie... She means too much to me... To us."

Jake sighed, thinking this would be Spud's reaction if he said anything. The boy nodded, and muttered, "I know, she likes you... The way she looks at you," Jake looked sadly at his friend, who was staring at him in shock, "She'd never go after me, when she could have you."

"That's not true!" Spud exclaimed, jumping to his feet, feeling the need to counter everything Jake said. "She'd never like me! I mean, I want her to so badly, but she would never... When she has you." At this, Jake let out a laugh.

"Ha! Trix, like me? Puh-lease. I'm like her brother," he frowned, scratching his cheek, "and that's all she'll ever want me to be."

Spud clenched and unclenched his fist, watching the ground as if it were about to move. He didn't know what to say. But he just spoke, "When we're together..." he paused, before whispering, "Trix and I... When we're close, I have that feeling in my stomach... It's in knots, and I feel so incredibly happy." he closed his eyes, knowing it was probably hurting or angering Jake, but his friend had to know the truth, "I'll be honest, I always saw you as competition... I thought you'd want her as much as I did, I saw the disgust on your face when she mentioned Kyle..."

He sighed, "I was ready to die when she did though. She is my best friend, but... I've always wanted more. I never hesitated to show her that I cared for her more than anyone else. Even you," he finally met Jake's eyes, whose expression he couldn't read. Jake was good at hiding his feelings. "I wanted to show her no matter what, I would be there, every single second she needed me. I... I almost died when she said 'friends and nothing more' the night of homecoming... But I didn't know what else to do but agree."

Spud stopped, not able to continue. For a long time, silence fell between the two. Finally, Jake spoke, "I know." he shook his head, "I know you care so much for her, but Spud, I... I can't just brush the feelings off, you know this."

At this, Spud raised his eyebrows. "Oh-ho!" he crossed his arms, suddenly feeling angry, "I pour my heart out, and you _still_ want her?"

Jake sat up, ready to defend himself, "Spud, that's not fair! What did you expect me to do, make those feelings vanish?!"

"Yes!" Spud cried, stomping his foot, upset. He stopped, seeing how ridiculous this was. They were arguing over a girl who probably didn't see either of them the way they wanted. He hung his head, and muttered, "What are we doing?"

Jake thought for a moment, then said, "Fighting over a chick who doesn't care that way for either of us." He said it so casually, but couldn't help laughing after he said it. He shook his head, "This is stupid."

Spud nodded in agreement. He sat down again, next to Jake, "How about this. We both allow our friendships to continue, and whichever Trixie chooses..." he frowned, afraid that it may be Jake, but continued, "Be it me, you, or some other boy... We keep our friendship, tighter than ever? I don't want us to..." he sighed.

Jake smiled, and pointed out, "She's going to choose me, bud. Can you handle gettin' another girl?"

Spud was about to get angry again, and start yelling, when he stopped himself. This was just Jake's way of challenging him. Spud grinned, more than happy to accept, "You got it bro. But when she chooses _me,_ be ready to go online dating, yo."

Jake laughed, and held out his fist, "Friends for life, friends for real, right?"

Spud tapped his fist against Jake's and said, "For sure. But I'm not gonna lose our challenge this time."

A moment later, the doorbell rang. The two looked at each other, before both darted to the door. "I GOT IT!" they shouted in unison.

Trixie Carter was in for a fun day, indeed.

THE END

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A/N: HMMM, what will the boys be planning? Who knows, I don't. This is a one shot of course. Let's leave it up to the imagination ^_^ Hope you enjoyed. REVIEWS? PLZKTHNX? I would greatly appreciate it (:

If enough people want a continuation, maybe I'll continue, but I like this as a one shot.


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